Guitar Player

Steve Morse is one of the slickest guitarists on six strings. He can pick so fast that his sound is like a bumblebee on a fretboard. But Morse can mellow the next moment and play classical guitar with impeccable touch or pluck with country twang. No wonder he's a multiple winner of Guitar Player magazine's "best overall guitarist." And now, Morse is up for a bit of double duty. He will perform with his Steve Morse Band on Wednesday night at the Carefree Theatre in West Palm Beach. He'll also take the stage with the Dixie Dregs, the popular rock-fusion band that Morse co-founded in the 1970s.

Jacob Jeffries went from roaming the halls of Western High to having his music video for "Suffocate My Heart" featured on MTV Buzzworthy. Two talented young men, pianist/singer Jacob Jeffries and guitarist Jimmy Powers, form the Florida-born Jacob Jeffries Band. With his snapback and ripped up Heat shirt, Jacob Jeffries preformed an amazing acoustic set at Uncle Sam's in Miami Beach with such a laid-back, feel-good sound that I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Through the streams of jokes and remarks between songs, I concluded that Jacob Jeffries has enough soul for the entire Miami Beach.

Jacob Jeffries went from roaming the halls of Western High to having his music video for "Suffocate My Heart" featured on MTV Buzzworthy. Two talented young men, pianist/singer Jacob Jeffries and guitarist Jimmy Powers, form the Florida-born Jacob Jeffries Band. With his snapback and ripped up Heat shirt, Jacob Jeffries preformed an amazing acoustic set at Uncle Sam's in Miami Beach with such a laid-back, feel-good sound that I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Through the streams of jokes and remarks between songs, I concluded that Jacob Jeffries has enough soul for the entire Miami Beach.

Steve Morse is one of the slickest guitarists on six strings. He can pick so fast that his sound is like a bumblebee on a fretboard. But Morse can mellow the next moment and play classical guitar with impeccable touch or pluck with country twang. No wonder he's a multiple winner of Guitar Player magazine's "best overall guitarist." And now, Morse is up for a bit of double duty. He will perform with his Steve Morse Band on Wednesday night at the Carefree Theatre in West Palm Beach. He'll also take the stage with the Dixie Dregs, the popular rock-fusion band that Morse co-founded in the 1970s.

The latest from guitarist-composer Leo Kottke is that he is getting out a lot more and meeting people. It`s not that his 16 years of touring haven`t brought him into contact with plenty of people. But Kottke is talking about a different kind of creative give and take. "You know, I went up to my room with the guitar when I was 11 or 12 and I never went back down again," said Kottke, who plays tonight and Saturday at Fort Lauderdale`s Musicians Exchange. "So now I kind of hang out and do work that tends to get me together with people instead of keeping me away from them."

DAVIE -- A steel guitar, cassette player and 60 cassettes were stolen from a house in the 3600 block of Southwest 59th Avenue, police said. The home`s owner reported he had locked all doors and windows on the ground floor before he left the house on Sept. 30. A second-floor window was unlocked but closed, according to the police report. The owner discovered the items, valued at $600, missing on Monday.

Even if you`ve never heard of Larry Carlton, it`s likely you`ve heard the sweet blues of his stylish Southern California guitar. The veteran of more than 3,000 studio sessions has played with scores of chart-topping musicians, including 13 funky R&B albums with the Crusaders and four with California`s pop/rock band Steely Dan. From television, he shared a Grammy for the Hill Street Blues theme and he also co-wrote the title tune for Who`s the Boss....

Jazz great John Francis "Jaco" Pastorius died penniless in Fort Lauderdale in 1987, but his former wives and others are vying for thousands of dollars from his estate. Although he was living on the streets at the time of his death, Pastorius` estate has received more than $16,000, an amount that should grow, from royalties for his music. Pastorius died in September 1987 at age 35, nine days after he was beaten outside the Midnight bottle club in Wilton Manors. The club`s manager, Luc Havan, beat Pastorius after the musician began kicking the door of the club when he was refused entry.

Articulate conversation isn`t something you`d expect from a cross section of heavy metal musicians. But there is one subject they can talk about with authority: their own music. And talk they do in Masters of Heavy Metal (Quill/William Morrow & Co.), a collection of interviews edited by Jas Obrecht from the pages of Guitar Player magazine. Eddie Van Halen, Ted Nugent, Jimmy Page and members of Def Leppard, Scorpions and Judas Priest are among those who discuss guitars, equipment, influences and history.

DAVIE -- A steel guitar, cassette player and 60 cassettes were stolen from a house in the 3600 block of Southwest 59th Avenue, police said. The home`s owner reported he had locked all doors and windows on the ground floor before he left the house on Sept. 30. A second-floor window was unlocked but closed, according to the police report. The owner discovered the items, valued at $600, missing on Monday.

Even if you`ve never heard of Larry Carlton, it`s likely you`ve heard the sweet blues of his stylish Southern California guitar. The veteran of more than 3,000 studio sessions has played with scores of chart-topping musicians, including 13 funky R&B albums with the Crusaders and four with California`s pop/rock band Steely Dan. From television, he shared a Grammy for the Hill Street Blues theme and he also co-wrote the title tune for Who`s the Boss....

The latest from guitarist-composer Leo Kottke is that he is getting out a lot more and meeting people. It`s not that his 16 years of touring haven`t brought him into contact with plenty of people. But Kottke is talking about a different kind of creative give and take. "You know, I went up to my room with the guitar when I was 11 or 12 and I never went back down again," said Kottke, who plays tonight and Saturday at Fort Lauderdale`s Musicians Exchange. "So now I kind of hang out and do work that tends to get me together with people instead of keeping me away from them."

Charo Although she's best known for her silly "cuchi-cuchi" catchphrase and comedy, the Spanish sexpot is actually an accomplished flamenco guitarist. She studied under Andres Segovia and was twice voted best guitar player in the world by Guitar Player magazine. Catch her revue at 9 tonight at Sunrise Lakes Phase 4, 10102 Sunrise Lakes Blvd. $16; 954-748-3230 Nick Griffin The stand-up started out bouncing from his native Kansas City to N.Y. to L.A., appearing in clubs across the country.